Finnish Carrot Pancake With Cranberry Sauce

CRANBERRY SAUCE
12 oz Fresh cranberries; or
-lingonberries
1/2 c Maple syrup; up to 2/3 cup
1 Orange
1/2 ts Ground ginger
1/2 ts Ground cardamom
1 ds Cinnamon

OPTIONAL
Sour cream

For the Carrot Pancake: In a mixing bowl, combine the grated carrots,
grated onion and bread crumbs or wheat germ. Toss to mix evenly.

Preheat the oven to 450 deg F.

In a blender or by hand, combine the eggs, milk, flour and seasonings until
smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides of the blender or bowl once
or twice. In a large mixing bowl, combine the carrot mixture and the
contents of the blender.

Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a heavy 9″ or 10″ cast iron skillet, or
similar heavy shallow baking dish that can go in the oven. Heat the oil in
the skillet. When quite hot but not smoking, pour in the pancake mixture;
make sure the carrots are evenly distributed. Place the skillet in the
preheated oven. After 20 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 350 deg F
and continue to bake for another 10 – 15 minutes.

The pancake should be light brown, puffy and crisp.

Serve immediately, topped with cranberry sauce and sour cream, if desired.

To prepare Cranberry Sauce: Wash and drain the cranberries. Remove any soft
or discolored berries, and any stems or leaves. Wash the orange, and grate
the orange rind only (avoid the bitter white pith); squeeze the juice from
the orange. You are looking to obtain about 1/2 cup of juice and grated
rind combined. Mix all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over
medium heat for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring, until the cranberries have
popped and the sauce is thick. May be made ahead. Serve hot or cold.
Commercial whole berry cranberry sauce or commercial cranberry/orange
relish can be substituted, if you must.

The Finnish name for the carrot pancake is Porkkanapannukakku. The Finnish
name for the Cranberry Sauce is Karpalokastike. Your guess is as good as
mine for how these are pronounced.